Lectures on Faith
"Lectures on Faith" | |
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Book | Doctrine and Covenants |
Category | Doctrine |
"Lectures on Faith" is a set of seven lectures on the doctrine and
Authorship
Part of a series on the |
Doctrine and Covenants |
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Although authorship of the lectures is uncertain, studies suggest that the actual wording was largely by Sidney Rigdon,[1] with substantial involvement and approval by Smith and possibly others.[2]: 7–10, 16 n. 8 Smith was involved, both in their authorship in November 1834 and in their later preparation for publication in January 1835.[3][4]
The original title of each lecture was "Of Faith". It was not until 1876, in an edition of the D&C edited by Church Historian, Orson Pratt, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), that the title was given as "Lectures on Faith".
Possibly the most famous quotation is from Lecture 6:7: "A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation".
Key lecture points
Lecture 1
Faith gives rise to all human endeavors in both worldly and spiritual matters, and is a source of power, both in man and in God.
Lecture 2
The human family's knowledge of God began with God's interaction with
Lecture 3
In addition to a belief in God, a correct knowledge of God's character and attributes as revealed in scripture is necessary for the exercise of faith leading to life and salvation. Effective faith requires the following understanding of God's characteristics:
- That He was God before the world was created, and the same God that he was after the world was created;
- That God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, abundant in goodness, and that He was so from everlasting, and will be so until everlasting;
- That God is unchanging;
- That He is a God of truth;
- That God is no respecter of persons;
- That God is love.
Lecture 4
From scripture, one can learn that God possesses the following attributes: knowledge, faith (which is His power), justice, judgement, mercy, and truth. An explanation for why each attribute is necessary in order for mankind to be able to exercise productive faith is provided.
Lecture 5
The Godhead, or the collective persons of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, is expounded upon:
- The Godhead consists of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost (Lecture 5:1)
- There are two "personages", the Father and the Son, that constitute the "supreme power over all things" (Lecture 5:2, Q&A section)
- The Father is a "personage of spirit, glory, and power" (Lecture 5:2)
- The Son is a "personage of tabernacle" (Lecture 5:2) who "possess[es] the same mind with the Father; which Mind is the Holy Spirit" (Lecture 5:2)
- The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit constitute the "supreme power over all things" (Lecture 5:2)
- "These three constitute the Godhead and are one: the Father and the Son possessing the same mind, the same wisdom, glory, power, and fullness;" (Lecture 5:2)
- The Son is "filled with the fullness of the Mind of the Father, or in other words, the Spirit of the Father." (Lecture 5:2)
Lecture 6
The knowledge that one's life is in accordance with God's will is necessary for obtaining eternal life. Any religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things, does not have the power to produce the faith necessary for life and salvation. Those who have not sacrificed all things will not be able to know that their lives are pleasing to God and will therefore not be able to have the faith to overcome the tribulations that stand in the way of becoming joint heirs with Christ in God's Kingdom.
Lecture 7
By growing in faith, one draws nearer to God, and in the perfection of faith, one becomes like God. By faith, one obtains knowledge of God, through which knowledge one can receive all things pertaining to life and godliness.
Status as part of the Latter Day Saint canon
The lectures were published in 1835 as the "Doctrine" portion of the volume entitled
Some
- "(a) They were not received as revelations by the prophet Joseph Smith.
- "(b) They are instructions relative to the general subject of faith. They are explanations of this principle but not doctrine.
- "(c) They are not complete as to their teachings regarding the Godhead. More complete instructions on the point of doctrine are given in section 130 of the 1876 and all subsequent editions of the Doctrine and Covenants.
- "(d) It was thought by James E. Talmage, chairman, and other members of the committee who were responsible for their omission that to avoid confusion and contention on this vital point of belief, it would be better not to have them bound in the same volume as the commandments or revelations which make up the Doctrine and Covenants."[9]
Brigham Young University's Thomas G. Alexander has stated in a Sunstone article:
Revision [of the Doctrine and Covenants] continued through July and August 1921, and the Church printed the new edition in late 1921. The committee proposed to delete the 'Lectures on Faith' on the grounds that they were 'lessons prepared for use in the School of the Elders, conducted in Kirtland, Ohio, during the winter of 1834-35; but they were never presented to nor accepted by the Church as being otherwise than theological lectures or lessons.' How the committee came to this conclusion is uncertain. The general conference of the Church in April 1835 had accepted the entire volume, including the Lectures, not simply the portion entitled 'Covenants and Commandments,' as authoritative and binding upon Church members. What seems certain, however, is that the interpretive exegesis of 1916 based upon the reconstructed doctrine of the Godhead had superseded the Lectures.[10]
Other commentators[
In 1972,
- "In my judgment, it is the most comprehensive, inspired utterance that now exists in the English language—that exists in one place defining, interpreting, expounding, announcing, and testifying what kind of being God is. It was written by the power of the Holy Ghost, by the spirit of inspiration. It is, in effect, eternal scripture; it is true."[11]
Notes
- Journal of Mormon History. 31 (2): 1–41. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ISBN 0884947254. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- History of the Church, Volume 2. pp. 169–170. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- History of the Church, Volume 2. p. 180. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "1835 D&C Introduction". www.centerplace.org. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Preface". Lectures on Faith. 1835.
- History of the Church, Volume 2. pp. 243–246. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ "Introduction". Doctrine and Covenants. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ Fitzgerald, John (1940). A Study of the Doctrine and Covenants. Brigham Young University. pp. 344–345. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
M.A. Thesis
- ^ Alexander, Thomas G. (July–August 1980). "The Reconstruction of Mormon Doctrine" (PDF). Sunstone. 5 (4): 24–33. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- ^ McConkie, Bruce R. (4 January 1972). "The Lord God of Joseph Smith". BYU Speeches. Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
Speeches of the Year
References
- ISSN 2167-8472. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- Larsen, Wayne A.; Rencher, Alvin C.; Layton, Tim (Spring 1980). "Who Wrote the Book of Mormon? An Analysis of Wordprints (app. E: "Lectures on Faith")". BYU Studies. 20: 249. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
- Phipps, Alan J. (1977). The Lectures On Faith: An Authorship Study. Brigham Young University. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
Thesis
- Van Wagoner, Richard S.; Walker, Steven C.; Roberts, Allen D. (Fall 1987). "The 'Lectures on Faith': A Case Study in Decanonization" (PDF). Dialogue: A Journal of Mormon Thought. 20 (3): 71–77. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
External links
- Images and text from 1844 publication of the Doctrine and Covenants, first lecture only from JosephSmithPapers.org
- Complete text from a Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite)-oriented site.
- Complete text from a Restoration Branches-oriented site.
- Color images of the complete text from the first complete publication, the 1835 Doctrine and Covenants on The Joseph Smith Papers website.